SNC-Lavalin Group, the steward of Canada’s globally respected CANDU® nuclear technology, has become a Founding Member of the Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII), joining with other industry leaders in accelerating the pace of clean energy innovation.
Large-scale nuclear power is essential to reducing the carbon emissions that are driving climate change. With governments and businesses pledging to achieve a state of “net zero” emissions by 2050, CANDU reactors are a vital part of a sustainable energy mix, providing safe, carbon-free electricity in a world that will increasingly need more of it.
CANDU reactors represent over 20,000 MW of installed capacity in eight countries worldwide—a massive amount of emissions-free power driving the world towards meeting net zero goals.
At home, SNC-Lavalin is an instrumental player in Canada’s largest clean energy infrastructure projects. It is bringing its expertise with end-to-end nuclear project solutions and support to Bruce Power’s $13 billion Major Component Replacement (MCR) program that will extend the life of the Bruce reactors to 2064.
NII provides a platform for companies to test and deploy innovative technology and process solutions that improve performance across the nuclear industry. SNC-Lavalin brings its design expertise to the table, looking to the future of nuclear, including Gen IV reactors, SMRs and innovative nuclear fuels.
“SNC-Lavalin was founded over 100 years ago with its roots in electricity projects and continues our clean energy tradition as the steward of Canada’s storied CANDU technology,” said Sandy Taylor, President, Nuclear, SNC-Lavalin. “Our success has always been built on strong partnerships, so we look forward to participating with NII in the strategic work it embarks on to enable Canada’s net zero ambitions and a legacy of jobs, growth and innovation in Canada’s nuclear space.”
In addition to SNC-Lavalin, NII’s Founding Members group now includes Bruce Power, BWX Technologies, Inc., Cameco, E.S. Fox Limited, Kinectrics and the County of Bruce.
“SNC-Lavalin’s history of excellence in the origins of Canada’s nuclear industry and their experience with evolving the CANDU technology makes them an invaluable collaborator on developing new innovations for our industry,” said Mike Rencheck, Chair, NII Board of Directors and President and CEO of Bruce Power. “We’re pleased to welcome them to NII and look forward to working together to leverage our collective nuclear expertise on our shared journey to a net zero future. With nuclear power as one of the largest sources of clean energy, we look forward to advancing new nuclear and other clean energy innovations here in the Clean Energy Frontier.”
Achieving net zero emissions is a global challenge that offers the prospect of new economic opportunities and a healthier world. At its core, net zero is essentially a math problem: the world needs to find a way to subtract just as much carbon from the atmosphere as it adds to it.
To better understand what exactly net zero is and what a net zero world can look like, visit NII’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/-jyn1ajeaGc.
About the Nuclear Innovation Institute
The Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides a platform to accelerate innovation and the implementation of business relevant solutions for the nuclear industry. NII’s goal is to shape a Canadian nuclear industry that embraces new thinking, new technologies and new lines of business that can drive the global shift to a low-carbon future.
Learn more at nii.ca and join the conversation on Twitter (@OntarioNII), LinkedIn (Nuclear Innovation Institute), Facebook (@OntarioNII), and Instagram (@niiexplore).